HERMA wins German Packaging Award 2020

Winner for the second time in succession: having already received the German Packaging Award in 2019 for the InNo-Liner system as well as a PE film, 50% of which is made from post-consumer recycled material (PCR), HERMA, the specialist in self-adhesive technology, has impressed the panel of experts again this year in the “Sustainability” category with a label made from HERMA self-adhesive material. The PE label, developed in collaboration with schäfer-etiketten and Polifilm, is made entirely from post-consumer recycled material from PE packaging generated from the collection of recyclable materials. It is probably the first of its kind worldwide. This process enables mountains of empty packaging to be consistently recycled to create new high-quality plastic products. The HERMA wash-off adhesive for the 62Rpw labels also removes a major barrier for the genuine recycling of polyolefin packaging (PE/PP). It ensures that labels can be washed off again without leaving any residues whatsoever – and can be sorted out of the flow of recyclable materials along with adhesives and printing inks. There has been no practical solution for this up until now with polyolefin packaging.

Fuel for the recycling industry

The PE label developed by HERMA, schäfer-etiketten and Polifilm, made entirely from PCR opens up new opportunities for an optimum material cycle – provided that recycling companies also switch from cold to hot washing for PE/PP packaging. Processes that are already taken for granted with PET bottles today should also be put into practice for PE/PP packaging in order to advance the recycling industry. The PE label made entirely from post-consumer recycled material makes this possible and plays a vital role in sustainability, which the panel of experts judging the German Packaging Award also clearly recognised. The award, held under the patronage of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, is the most prestigious packaging competition in Europe. It is organised by the German Packaging Institute (dvi). Each year, the independent panel of experts comprising trade associations, companies, trading organisations and research institutions award accolades for pioneering developments and solutions for packaging. In 2020, the winners included 38 outstanding innovations from Germany, Austria, Great Britain and Switzerland. Sustainability is one of the most important trends in the packaging sector according to the German Packaging Institute. HERMA has been contributing to progress in this area for many years with the development of innovative products. “We are proud that our efforts to make packaging and recycling processes more sustainable are being recognised,” says Dr. Thomas Baumgärtner, Managing Director and Head of the Self-adhesive Materials Division at HERMA. “Our focus will continue to be on solutions that promote the conscious use of resources and materials.”